How to Finish a Crochet Wall Hanging

Are you stumped on how to finish a crochet wall hanging? Read through this blog post to learn about different methods to add a dowel, and fringe. This is a blog post will teach you how to sew a pocket for a dowel rod, and add fringe to the bottom.

Before we dive in…

Here, you have a few options, and decisions to make, about how you want your finished wall hanging to look. Let’s walk through a few questions so that we know what you want, and so that I can help you create it.

1. Do you want the dowel hidden or exposed?
   • Option A (hidden) : crochet extra rows on the top of the wall hanging, and sew a dowel pocket
   • Option B (exposed) : crochet the dowel to the top of the wall hanging
2. How do you want the bottom to look?
   • Option A : plain, bare, and no extra
   • Option B : fringe (plies intact? or plies separated?)
   • Option C : tassels

This blog post tutorial only shows how to sew a dowel pocket and add fringe.
Here are tutorials for the other methods..

1. Crocheting the dowel to the wall hanging — Port Aransas Wall Hanging Crochet Pattern
2. Making a yarn tassel + attaching it to a wall hanging — Yarn Tassel Tutorial

Now that your ideal finished wall hanging is in your head, let’s start adding those extra finishes to it! Keep reading if you chose the dowel pocket method.

Materials

• Finished crochet wall hanging
  • Wheat Heart Wall Hanging (releasing May 2021)
  • Port Aransas Wall Hanging
  • Pumpkin Spice Wall Hanging
• Dowel rod
• Scissors
• Tapestry Needle
• Yarn
  • Long tail to sew the dowel pocket
  • 14″ strand to add the fringe
• Ruler

Finish A Crochet Wall Hanging

Create the Dowel Pocket

First, notice where your yarn breaks when the wall hanging is finished. If your wall hanging is crocheted bottom up, then leave a long tail to sew the pocket. If your wall hanging is crocheted top down, or side to side, then fasten off the yarn tail, and weave in the end. THEN, cut a yarn tail 3 times the width of your wall hanging. At this point, you will have a long yarn tail.

Second, place the wall hanging right side down, and fold the top down wide enough to fit your dowel. Ex. if you’re dowel is 3/8″ in diameter, you will fold down 2 times that amount plus a little extra to easily slide the dowel in the pocket. So, 3/8″ x 2 = 6/8″ or 3/4″. Then, folding 1″ down would give the dowel enough space.

Third, tack down the sides, and once in the middle, with the stitch markers. This keeps the width of the dowel pocket from shifting while you sew. No one wants a wonky, uneven pocket on their new handmade wall hanging!

Now, the sewing begins. Thread your tapestry needle with the long yarn tail, and start sewing. At the side, go through both pieces of fabric to secure the edges together. As you move along the back of the wall hanging, try to only pick up the back of the stitches so that the sewing does not show on the front of the wall hanging.

Once, the pocket is sewed, fasten off the two ends and weave into the back of the work. Insert the dowel, and grab your twine, or extra piece of yarn, to add to the dowel.

Adding the Fringe

First, determine how long you want your fringe to hang, and add 1-2″ onto that length. We will trim the fringe in the last step. Next, cut the yarn strands in groups of 1-3 depending to the weight of yarn you’re using. The Wheat Heart Wall Hanging (pictured above) uses a worsted weight (category 4) yarn, so a group of 3 yarn strands creates a full fringe. The Port Aransas Wall Hanging uses a super bulky (category 6) yarn, so only one yarn strand per group is needed.

Second, place each group in one stitch or row (depending on how your wall hanging is made). So, if you have 30 stitches/rows at the bottom you will need 3 times that number. 30 stitches/rows X 3 yarn strands = 90 yarn strands total. Next, place your wall hanging right side down, and pick up your crochet hook to start adding the fringe.

Third, gather a group of yarn strands, and fold them in the middle to create a loop. Insert your crochet hook from back to front through the stitch/row along the bottom edge. Pick up the loop and pull it through the stitch/row enough to insert the tails through the loop. Pull the ends until they are snug, but not too tight. Continue this process along the edge.

Last, trim the fringe and steam block it to get any wrinkles out. You may need to trim any stragglers after you block it.

Thank you for reading about how to finish a crochet wall hanging! If you’re interested in more crochet and yarn tutorials, be sure to click the link below. If you want to be the first to know when new crochet patterns are released, be sure to sign up for the High Desert Yarn Newsletter. Plus, you’ll receive a free printable as a thank you.

Happy creating,
Joanna

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